In standard surgical practice, and, specifically in minimally invasive surgical procedures, incisions (sometimes called “defects”) are made in the skin, subcutaneous fat, fascia, and muscle tissue. Using standard surgical techniques, instruments are introduced through these defects to perform surgery. For example, in a laparoscopic procedure, a defect can provide a port for insertion of a trocar, which can be used for various purposes, including draining fluid and introducing laparoscopic hand instruments, cameras, etc. These defects must be closed, usually with sutures, at the conclusion of a procedure, to prevent herniation and other complications at these sites.
Some conventional techniques used to close tissue defects (or, alternatively, to close any hole where one has ready and/or direct access only to one side thereof) involve use of curved needles. Some techniques involve placing a suture through the fascia, then grasping the suture extending freely in the air within a cavity (e.g., under camera guidance). This task can be extremely difficult even in experienced hands. Further, such techniques often rely on costly specialized equipment for each procedure which is unacceptable to hospitals and surgery centers. Even with such specialized tools, surgeons typically still must rely solely on feeling their way through a cavity, and/or looking in a camera, while at the same time, risking injury to bowels, blood vessels, or other intra-abdominal organs. Small mistakes in positioning and/or use of instruments can lead to sepsis, hemorrhage, and even death. The current methods are cumbersome and require a significant learning curve for a practitioner to become proficient in the techniques.